The Environment Agency says it will be contacting those that have failed to comply with the Esos scheme this month. It is thought up 40% of firms have yet to complete mandatory energy audits although the Agency admits it is not sure of the precise number of qualifying organisations.
Following the compliance cut off date last Friday, the Agency says just short of 6,000 organisations have now complied with the Energy Savings Obligation Scheme, which requires larger firms to conduct an energy audit and have a director sign it off. Part of the European Union Energy Efficiency Directive, Esos is intended to encourage companies to undertake projects that reduce energy use by highlighting where savings can be made.
The original deadline for compliance was 5 December 2015, but the Agency updated its guidance last October to allow companies that would miss the deadline to register intent to comply.
Over 1,000 firms sent in their paperwork in the two days before the revised deadline, according to the agency.
“So far we have had 5948 notifications of compliance and exactly 1000 notifications of intent to comply (that are yet to comply),” a spokesperson said.
“We believe that approximately 70% of organisations that qualify for ESOS are on the road to compliance.
“In the last two days before 29 January we received 1015 notifications of compliance showing another large surge at the last minute.”
Interestingly, the Environment Agency stated that: “It will take some time to match all the notifications to the expected participant groups and verify whether the remaining organisations do in fact qualify.”
The Agency reiterated that while civil penalties will only be issued in “the most serious cases”, it would start enforcement this month.
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